SITE clearance work is being undertaken on a prime parcel of land for which planning permission was granted for a state-of-the-art new cinema in Killarney.
The 6.5-acre site of the former Torc Great Southern Hotel is located on the Park Road side of the railway bridge, directly opposite McDonald’s Restaurant and adjacent to Killarney Outlet Centre and extensive clearance work got underway today with the entire site cordoned off.
A 2017 decision by Kerry County Council to refuse planning permission for the new cinema and entertainment complex on the site was overturned, on appeal, by An Bord Pleanála in April of last year and developer Torcbridge Ltd was given the green light for a regional entertainment facility.
As reported by KillarneyToday.com at the time, the plans made provision for a 2,454sq.m two-storey building with five cinema screens, including a 300-seat Premium Large Format (PLF) screen theatre and four other screens, three with 95 seats and the other with 119.
The plans also made provision for a two-storey restaurant, to be operated independently but ancillary to the cinema, and car parking facilities for 200 vehicles.
Kerry County Council had initially refused planning permission on the grounds that it was an edge of town centre location and it would give rise to unsustainable single trip destination car journeys.
The local authority also felt it would damage the evening economy within the town core, it would take greatly from the tourism product available within the town core and it would be detrimental to its vitality and vibrancy.
The council’s decision was appealed to An Bord Pleanála, however, and it was subsequently overturned with permission granted, subject to conditions.
The planning inspector ruled that the proposed development would not seriously injure the amenities of the area or property in the vicinity, that it would not have an adverse impact on the vitality or viability of the town centre and it would not give rise to a traffic hazard or to traffic congestion.
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